The island of Ré stretches out over 30 km, from
Sablanceaux to the lighthouse, Phare des Baleines.
Its present geography is, in fact, partly due to the work
of nature and partly due to the conservation work carried
out by man for the consolidation of four islands.
Ré, closer to the mainland is the largest, Loix is a
peninsula away from the main axis and is isolated by salt
marshes.
Ars is linked to Ré by the channel of Martray,
only a hundred metres wide.
Les Portes peninsula, with the
woods of Trousse-Chemise, is at the end of the island.
We would like to offer you on this page, some guidance for
a first visit or help if you need to find a place stay.
The bridge is easily accessible from La Rochelle,
direction La Pallice.
Before going on the bridge, why not stop at the belvedere
on the left and get a full panaromic view of the bridge
and the island ?
You can also have a drink at
the Café du Belvédère.
At Sablanceaux, just
after the bridge, there are two options, either to take,
on the left, the D201 road in the direction of
Le Bois-Plage and La Couarde, or to take,
on the right-hand side, the D735 road in the direction of
Rivedoux,
La Flotte and Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
Both roads, D201 and D235, join
at La Couarde, a large seaside resort with a south facing
beach.
Rivedoux is an important centre for the production of
oysters. La Flotte has a lively harbour.
Saint-Martin-de-Ré, " Capital of the island ", with the
ramparts of the citadel, deserves a visit on foot.
After la Couarde, the road D735 leads to Ars-en-Ré by the
channel of Martray. Do not miss the visit to Ars and the
marina on the Fier.
In the centre of the town, the church
of Saint-Etienne is famous for its bell tower painted in
black and white to serve as a landmark for the boats.
The
walk in the centre, with alleys, narrow streets and
typical houses of the area with green shutters, is
absolutely not to be missed.
By continuing after Ars, one arrives, having crossed Saint Clément, at the
foot of another beauty spot of the island, the lighthouse,
Phare des Baleines.
The lighthouse, 50 metres high, can be
visited and from the top, can be seen one of the most
beautiful panoramas of the region.
By driving on the small roads, it quickly becomes obvious
that the bicycle is the main means of transport on the
island.
There are
100 km of bicycle paths fitted out for all
categories of cyclists.
If you have no bikes, they can be rented everywhere on the
island.
Finally, please, do not miss the products of the vineyard,
the local wines, the cognac and pineau.
Note that the
island of Ré is the most northern zone of the appellation
Cognac.
